Why Your Pigeon or Seagull Strategy Needs Visual Bird Deterrents

Birds can be a surprisingly resilient pest. Though we use “birdbrained” as an insult, these winged menaces can seem impossible to outwit. Once they’ve learned that the deterrent they’ve been so afraid of isn’t actually a threat, something that was wildly effective at first can become useless overnight. It’s especially true if you’re trying to keep pests away from a large area of crops -- a highly motivating incentive for the birds that are trying to eat them - or are dealing with a long-settled pest population. Even smaller-scale problems can quickly get out of hand.

There’s a trick to coming out on top. From seagulls to pigeons and everything in between, birds respond more to a multi-faceted deterrent approach than one that relies on a single scare tactic. At Birdsoff, we use this to our advantage, exploring and testing a range of different product combinations that keep unwelcome guests away, even when they’re determined to stay.

Tried it All Already?

It may feel like you’ve run out of options. From physical measures such as spikes and sprays to sonic or ultrasonic machines, there are many things to try when you’re getting rid of a flying pest problem. As you advance towards more substantial and more involved solutions, the basic options fade into the past. Bringing them back into the mix—such as a visual pigeon deterrent for example—might be the key to getting the peace you need.

Birdsoff takes a three-pronged approach to managing problematic bird populations, using physical, audible, and visual tactics to get your pests to take wing. For seagulls, for instance, we recommend combining a physical barrier (such as Birdspiders or Birdsweeps) with either an audible or visual seagull deterrent such as the Scarybird Eagle kite which prevents gulls from approaching in the first place. Just adding an element like this can make physical barriers much more effective -- even after the local population has learned to avoid them.

Types of Visual Bird Deterrents: Reflectors and Decoys

You have a few options when it comes to adding a visual component to your pest management strategy. Reflectors, such as our easy-to-use Irri-Tape, are one way to go. If you’re looking for something less expensive and straightforward to install, these can add a lot of power to your existing defences. For birds these flashing and loud decorations can cause quite the scare. Since they move around with the wind, they keep your foes on their toes and make them wary of approaching in the first place.

Some birds, however, need something a little more threatening. Working with what we know about birds’ fear responses in their natural habitats, Birdsoff has developed a whole range of decoys that will send any pigeon packing, thinking it’s about to be made into lunch. Some are stationary, like this stern looking prowler owl .Unlink the owk and link the prowler owl Others make things even more frightening by mimicking a hunting hawk or falcon in flight.( Scaybird eagle, scarehawk decoy. For especially smart birds such as crows, a dead crow decoy can often do the trick.

Combined with your physical and maybe even audible components, a visual element can make all the difference in getting a stubborn pest population out of your life. Explore the other bird scaring techniques Birdsoff makes available across Australia.